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“Where will I be staying?” I cocked my head to the side. I expected him to confirm I would be in the bunkhouse with the rest of the staff who didn’t have their own houses.
I could see Declan out of the corner of my eye roll back on his feet and glance at Thomas.
“You will stay in the big house with us,” Thomas declared, his tone indicating there was no room for argument.
I sucked in a breath. How was I going to make it through the night and not fall into a puddle at their feet?
THOMAS
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Why did I tell her she would stay with us? It was completely acceptable for her to stay in the bunkhouse.
Because it wasn’t acceptable.
Not to me.
There was no way I would have allowed her to stay on my ranch and be that far away from me, but I should have. The temptation of having her under the same roof was going to drive me insane. My head and my heart were pulling me in two different directions.
Alex didn’t know about our lives here on the ranch, but I knew she was the one for Declan and me the moment I laid eyes on her. When she first came to evaluate Storm after Grace’s accident, she got out of her truck, my heartbeat slowed, and time seemed to stand still. In that moment, I knew something deep inside me was calling to her, demanding that she was mine.
This storm, while a blessing in disguise, forced Alex to get to know us better. The only downfall was it was too close to our deadline—the one that forced Declan and me to marry our friend Victoria, so we didn’t lose our inheritance. It was pure fantasy to think Alex would fall in love and marry us before my birthday.
But what’s done is done. I couldn’t change anything, and there were other things that needed to be done and done quickly.
Declan agreed to show Dr. Brooks to a guest room while I finished closing up the barns. I cringed when that big ass grin spread across his face. I knew I’d regret letting him take on that task.
I turned to Duke and Travis. It was time to get moving.
“Duke. Call Dr. Henry and let him know Dr. Brooks is here and safe. Then go to the front and lock up. Make sure everything is secure and that our power generator is ready in case we need it.”
“On it, boss.” Duke turned on his heels.
The guys only called us boss when they were messing around or when things were serious. We’d had our fair share of storms over the years, but this one was the worst. At least we’d had plenty of time to set ourselves up in a way that, hopefully, the storm wouldn’t cause too much damage.
I turned to Travis. “Make sure this barn is fully secure, and on your way back to your house, swing by the houses on the east side and check everyone is all set. If anyone needs anything, have them phone me. I’ll check the other barn and visit all the houses on the west side.”
“You know Gavin already checked the barn.” Travis was right, of course, but it was important I check, too.
“I know he did, but—”
“They’re your babies. I know. Stay safe, boss.” Travis gripped my shoulder before turning and heading to the feed room.
I pulled my hat down to cover my ears and yanked my scarf over my nose and mouth. The wind was picking up, and it had been brutal on my way over here.
The crunching of frost under my boots quickened my already brisk pace. Snow was falling, and it was only a matter of time before everything would be covered.
The heat from the barn blasted me in the face, making my eyes water as I entered. The greeting of nickers and horse heads poking out of their stalls had me smiling despite the situation. They were safe and sound, tucked into their cozy stalls.
After watching Stefan compete and struggle for so many years, it only solidified my desire to enter the horse world. I wanted to create a place a rider could train and live. It cut out having to worry about traveling to places to get ready for competition and the expenses of it all. Luckily, I also had my little brother who only wanted to build on to that dream and help it become a reality.
Declan, Stefan, and Mikel all helped King’s Ranch become a reality. And Jessie. None of this would have become a reality without her. Stefan and Mikel were lucky to have found their soulmate.
This ranch was my baby, and these horses in this barn made this place run. Even though Dec and I had our hands in all aspects of the ranch, the riding team was my contribution to the ranch.
I walked over to Sapphire’s stall. Out of all the horses, she was my baby. I purchased her when she was just a filly. My gorgeous dapple-gray mare had so much personality that it amused me to no end. She had a rough time a year ago, but after Blake, the new trainer, came along, she was back to her old self.
Sapphire’s velvety nose bumped my shoulder when she realized I didn’t have any treats for her. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a social visit, not that she would understand.My girl was used to being spoiled.
